BEAUMONT, Texas — A 31-year-old Beaumont truck driver, charged with manslaughter, is accused of using his mobile phone and causing a fatal October 2022 wreck that claimed the life of a 32-year-old Vidor man.
Cedric Jerome Fontenot, who turned himself in on Tuesday, has been released on a $100,000 bond according to a jailer at the Jefferson County Correctional Facility.
Fontenot is accused in a May 3, 2023, indictment of "operating a motor vehicle in an unsafe manner while using a cellular device."
The indictment also describes the truck he was driving as a "deadly weapon."
A warrant for his arrest on a manslaughter charge was issued just over a week ago, officials told 12News.
Jefferson County Criminal District Court Judge John Stevens signed the warrant.
Fontentot was driving a 2018 International box van when he was involved in the wreck along Interstate 10 in Beaumont on October 25, 2022, according to an accident report.
He was carrying a load of U.S. Mail for a Beaumont company called B & N Mail Service Inc.
Driver killed in wreck involving 18-wheeler, 2 other vehicles on IH-10 at Laurel in Beaumont
Beaumont Police responded to Interstate 10 northbound and southbound at Laurel after receiving a call just before 6 a.m. about the deadly crash.
Related: 32-year-old Vidor man dies in Tuesday morning wreck involving 18-wheeler on Interstate 10 at Laurel
Police believe the box van carrying mail, driven by Fontenot, was headed northbound, when he lost control of the vehicle and hit a cement center divider. The hit knocked the divider into southbound traffic.
The van then continued into the southbound lanes, hitting a 2016 Ford Escape that Jonathan Allen Droddy was driving. Droddy died at the scene and leaves behind a five-year-old daughter.
The family fired back and hired a lawyer to file a civil lawsuit against B & N Mail Service Inc.
Attorney Jane Leger with the Ferguson Law Firm in Beaumont is representing the daughter of Droddy.
"There was limited insurance coverage and so based on the company investigation they understood that there was not enough coverage for the harm that had been done," Leger said.
Leger tells 12News, the civil suit has been settled.
When asked how much money they hope to get out of this settlement, Leger says they've exhausted all available insurance coverage to the company.
Leger says she hopes Fontenot's being charged bring the family some closure, even though they know nothing could ever bring their loved one back.
"That's a good thing that this family has suffered a tragic loss no amount of money big or small will ever bring them justice, but knowing the commercial motor vehicle driver is going to be held criminally liable will bring some closure," she said.
In the meantime, attorneys say Droddy's family are coping the best they can.
"They are learning to live what is now their new normal for his child that means life without a father," Leger said.
12News requested a probable cause affidavit from District Attorney Keith Giblin to learn what led to the manslaughter charge, but it wasn't received in time for this publication.
During the incident, the retaining wall of the freeway hit a gray GMC Sierra pick-up that was driving southbound. The driver of the pick-up was not injured.
Fontenot had non-life-threatening injuries. He later told police prior to the crash. he moved into the center lane and then into the outside lane.
He told them that when he drove into the outside lane he went too far and drove off the roadway and overcorrected, crossing back over all northbound lanes. The deadly crash happened after the overcorrection.
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In November, the attorney representing his family told 12News they are planning to sue. The civil suit would be separate from the pending criminal case.
The lawyers want to find out if the driver was using his phone at the time of the crash.